


Our Haven

by wingswinger



Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Big Gay Love Story, Boys In Love, Closeted Character, Confessions, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Falling In Love, First Time, Fluff and Angst, Fooling Around, Getting to Know Each Other, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Panic Attacks, Phone Calls & Telephones, Slow Burn, Swearing, Texting, Unresolved Emotional Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-05
Updated: 2020-03-17
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:55:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22571341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wingswinger/pseuds/wingswinger
Summary: 17 year old Ian Gallagher starts his volunteer work at a gay helpline as a phone operator. He soon encounters a mystery guy who always calls but never actually talks to him.Until one day, when he does!Mickey Milkovich is struggling with his feelings and desires, realizing he might be gay. After long weeks of contemplation he decides to call Haven Helpline, because why the f* not? But then he hears the sweet voice of the operator and seems to forget how to form words.
Relationships: Ian Gallagher/Mickey Milkovich
Comments: 44
Kudos: 124





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> Hello Guys,
> 
> This is my first Gallavich, took me a while I know :D 
> 
> For triggers you should read my tags, but don't worry. I'm not a heavy angst person so I'm not going to bring you (and myself, haha) to the edge of a heart attack anytime soon. 
> 
> The POV is new to me too, I always write as I am one of the characters, so this is a first time, huh? But it's not going to be only for me but the boys too. Oh I guess I should add that tag to the list! :P 
> 
> Feel free to comment, let's talk about what you think :) or anything Gallavich related!
> 
> Happy Reading <3

'Haven Helpline, what can I do for you?' 

Ian's voice was shaky and almost too quiet as he held the telephone to his ear for the first time. However, he also felt awfully enthusiastic and committed to this cause, so he wouldn't have traded it for anything. First he thought he would hate a volunteer job, because, honestly who enjoys working for no money? But then he found the organization's name in a small corner of a site in one of his gay magazines and the idea came instantly.  
This way he could actually help others get free, even if it only might mean with him, on the phone – and his compulsory volunteer work would be done for his final year at school. And, for his application to the military academy this temporary job should provide the extra points he surely would need because, uh, math sucks.  
After he was accepted for the Phone Operator job (following a casual chat and a psychology test that he naturally passed) he had to go through a two-week training on how to communicate, mostly in difficult situations. Those skills were not so far from Ian though, either. Being a Gallagher taught him one or two things about tough situations. The key was patience and to listen to the person on the other end of the line. The organization was in direct contact with emergency lines too if needed.  
So that, first day both filled him with excitement and anxiety, but the audible tremors left his voice after the third call, and he actually found himself making jokes with the fifth one. At the end of the day he had a huge smile plastered to his freckled face and he was absolutely sure he was just freaking made for this. His mentor, the blue haired older girl, Virginia praised his social skills and sensitivity. She also warned him about cases when jokes don't really help and that he has to be prepared for those as well, and he shouldn't let his guard down. Ian nodded.  
He wasn't looking forward to listening to an aggressive one, or somebody crying so hard they wouldn't be able to talk, but he was as prepared as he could be. He happened to be kind of lucky though. Until the end of his first week he didn't encounter anything weirder than a random guy asking about the best porn sites he should explore. Ian needed to bite his lip at the question to stop from laughing out loud. He couldn't go by anything other than his personal preferences. Actually saying them in a room full of other people made him slightlyblush though. Even though those people were separated by thin paper walls and were minding their own business, Ian still needed a little time to adjust to their presence.  
And then, it happened. It was Friday afternoon, there was already like 1 hour left until official weekend-time. Ian had been sweating all day, the uncomfortable Summer heat turned into unbearable and he couldn't wait to go home, open the fridge and fucking have an ice cold beer, water, anything. Or just a chill shower if he caught a rare moment when the upstairs bathroom was not occupied. Huhh. Just a little more time, he reminded himself, playing with a pen.  
Then his phone rang again, finally. He was hardly getting any calls that day and only sitting there in alert silence was no fun at all. He took a glance at the screen that showed the number or the name of the caller, if the person was a regular one, giving their name willingly. It didn't seem as a regular one, though. The number ended in 555, it was very simple, and still not familiar to Ian. Well, yet. So, he picked it up, saying his welcoming line, waiting in anticipation to talk to a new caller. 

'Haven Helpline, what can I do for you?'  
He felt his cheek instantly start to sweat under the surface of the phone the moment he pressed it up against his skin, and he waited for a long moment with no reply before repeated the question. 

'What can I do for you?' - His approach was a lot less confident than the first one. It even lessened as he heard the person on the other end of the line audibly breathing into the speaker but they didn't say a single word. Ian had never experienced anything like this before. During the training they talked about those cases when the caller hangs up the moment they answer, but this was different. Ian's senses burned with panic as he listened to the heavy breaths and in the back of his mind he remembered the lesson on suicidals. 

'Uh... I am here to help you, you can talk to me. About anything. I promise' - it was probably stupid to overtalk it, but his pulse was already racing as he listened to the other human being in obvious distress, breathing hard in his ear. - 'Hey, you still here. Right? Talk to me, please, I can hear you breathin'! '- Ian knew at the second he said it that it was a mistake. The line instantly broke and he might just never get his answers for his questions. Most of which he hasn't even said out loud. Damn.  
Ian felt tricked and shocked at the same time. He probably should have connected the person to an emergency line, maybe they needed an ambulance. The redhead tried not to imagine anyone bleeding out on a bathroom floor while he put the phone down, hand shaking. He let out a heavy exhale when someone called his name suddenly, dragging him out of it. 

'Ian?'– It was Virginia. 

'Yeah?' - he replied in a weak, quite tone. 

'You can go home now, cleaners want to begin their work with this area.' 

'Uh, alright' - he nodded, starting to pack immediately. 

'You did great work, Ian. See you next week.'  
By the time he met Lip at the park, he almost forgot about the mysterious someone. Almost. The thought still lingered, but he decided to shake it off when his brother asked if everything was okay. 

'Sure' - he said, and before Lip could figure him out he asked -'So are we having a pizza or what?' 

Ian had absolutely no idea that meanwhile a guy, not even that far from their location was still leaning his back against, the cold tiles of a bathtub, his fingers still gripping the phone in a lazy manner as he chewed on his lower lip in contemplation. 'Anythin', huh? Fuck' - he growled to himself when he heard a hard knock on the door. 

'Mickey, will ya fuckin' let me in already?! I need to pee ya idiot!'  
It was his sister, for the third time since he locked himself in. God, can a man get a little fucking privacy somewhere?! He let out an annoyed huff as he stood, rolling his eyes. He might make another call later. And he hoped very damn much that another operator would answer that time, not this fucking dude's raspy hot voice that gave him goosebumps...


	2. Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the reactions <3 You Guys made my week.
> 
> Hope you'll like the new chapter too :)  
> Next week my school starts, my work continues and I'm kinda sick too but f*ck me if I'm not gonna write another chapter :D So bear with me, more is coming soon!
> 
> Happy Reading!

The weekend at the Gallaghers passed filled with the usual adventures. Carl stole a snake from the pet store to scare the shit out of Debbie but Fiona almost ended up accidentally cooking the thing for dinner. Luckily the pet got back where he belongs and it was Ian's respectable task to bring it back. So, he was kind of relieved when he had to go to work on Monday. Nothing unpredictable, just a desk, a phone and him.  
The morning proved to be uneventful, thank goodness. Later a girl from his team, who had a tattoo under her right eye brought him cookies because Virginia made some for her birthday and she was nice enough to share. Other than that, he had 3 calls all day, all simple enough.  
As Ian spent more time at Haven he started to recognize some patterns. Mondays were quiet. On Tuesdays everyone from the team ordered chinese food. On Wednesdays Luke called who recently came out and needed some emotional support. Ian had one more regular by the name of Adelin, but it probably wasn't her real name. Not that it mattered. They helped everyone unconditionally whoever needed it.  
Adelin always told Ian about her best friend who was a lesbian in denial. Ian had a feeling this friend didn't really exist, or, it was Adelin who wished this friend was into her. But he always tried to remain as professional as he could be. He listened, asked more questions and let her figure it out on her own while assuring her that Haven is always going to be there if she needed someone to talk to.  
Sometimes it felt almost impossible to stay neutral though. Like on Thursday, when a guy named Jeff called Ian and he sounded pretty upset. 

'Haven Helpline, what can I do for you?' - Ian asked the usual thing when he pucked up with a dedicated smirk, then for a couple of long seconds all he heard was a sigh and nothing more of a reply. He instantly remembered the call from last Friday when that mysterious someone got his heart racing as the person secretively breathed into the phone before hanging up. Ian almost felt the rise of panic in his core again when he heard an insecure voice talking on the other end of the line. 

'H-Hi, my name is Jeff' - his introduction almost sounded like a question. Ian took a heavy clearing breath. 

'Hi Jeff, my name is Ian. How can I help you?' 

'Well, I'm... 14...'- Jeff seemed to be very insecure so Ian waited patiently, his voice being kept soothing and gentle. At the same time Virginia approached, starting to listen from behind him, Ian not noticing. 

'It's okay, Jeff. I'm here listening. Take your time'- He reassured him, calling his name because he learned it was a method to make the caller feel more comfortable and understood. 

'Right... So I told my father I was gay. And now he is off to get shitfaced. He just left rehab and I thought... This is my fault, right?'  
Upon hearing the story Ian related on more levels than one as he also is a gay teen with an alcoholic father. What's different in his case was Frank's approach but Ian wasn't so sure that Frank handled life better. He hurried to answer because his sense of justice couldn't bear hearing this kid blaming himself. 

'No, absolutely not, Jeff! Whatever you are told, never feel bad or guilty for simply being yourself. Just...' - he knew it wasn't strictly allowed to get personal with a caller but he felt like he needed to say something to be able to help more efficiently. His voice dipped into a low quiet tone but he said it anyway. -'You know, actually my father drinks too. With my family we tried to get rid of his hidden bottles, tried to prevent him from leaving the house but it never worked. You can't make that decision for him, you know? And as an addict he always can find a good reason to get drunk. It's never your fault. Okay?'  
He heard a relieved sigh from the phone. 

'You think so?' 

'I'm sure. And, there is nothing wrong with being gay.' 

'Did your father... Was he mad when he found out?' - The question was a private one. Ian was taught to evade private questions, but he also learned that to some extent he can get friendly to set the tone of the talk. He already told Jeff about Frank so why wouldn't he answer now? 

'My father never really cared about it.' 

'I wish mine wouldn't care…' 

'No, trust me. You don't. He'll get around it. If he is pissed it means you are important to him. It's gonna be okay.' – A small smile appeared on the redhead’s face as he talked, no matter that the kid on the line would not be able to see him. He wanted to get the message through to Jeff very much.

'Thank you, Ian. You helped me a lot.'– the 14-year-old said.

'Hey, anytime, Jeff.' - The grin on Ian's face was unstoppable at the grateful words. - 'Oh, before you go, can I add your name to the number? So I can recognize you if you call again?'– he almost forgot to ask.

'Sure. Will you be the one to pick up next time too?' 

'Yeah, this way it will be.'

'Okay. Add me.'– Jeff agreed.

'Done' - Ian announced and the boy said his goodbye along another „thank you”. Ian exhaled softly and leaned back in his seat biting at his lip with pride. Then, Virginia suddenly spoke above him and his whole body tensed up as he was startled. 

'You handled the case quite well' - she said. - 'But if it's possible, you should stick to the protocols, alright?' 

'Sorry, I... thought it would help. And it did! He got braver after I told him my experience, so...' 

'I'm not talking about that. His father might not get around the fact his son is gay. You can't promise he will, based on assumptions. You may cause more harm than good that way. Life doesn't always play out, so we just give support, not promises. Okay?' 

'Sure... Sorry' - Ian thought about the words and a pang of guilt washed over him. He didn't actually mean to lie to the kid. Fuck, this job was harder than he expected. Seeing his sad-confused puppy face Virginia added: 

'No, it's okay. Don't beat yourself up about it. You're new. I did the exact same thing when I joined 2 years ago. Just stay cool, you're doing good!'  
Ian appreciated her reassurance and he instantly felt better. All he had to do was to pay attention to be more professional, and it would be all cool.  
There were only 10 minutes left until 6 pm when he was supposed to leave and the night shift would take the rest of the calls until 2 am. From 2 am to 8 am another helpline took their role so nobody had to stay in the building all night.  
Ian started to pack his things away, his half-eaten sandwich from lunch and a red pen he used to scribble down important things on a sticky note, like a date of an upcoming scheduled call or a meeting with the team. When his backpack was sealed and ready though, the phone rang again. He kinda hoped it would be Jeff one more time so he could make his mistake right, but the screen didn't show a name, only the number. Great, a new caller. This must take more than 10 minutes... - he thought with a frown. Then his eyes scanned the numbers again. Kind of familiar... Hmmm... 555?! Oh Jesus!  
Ian's mouth ran dry when he realized who it was. The silent one from last Friday! That was another good example for his fuckups when he panicked and begged the person to talk. Oh shit. Ian took a shuddery breath in. He could do it professionally. He had the skills, he had the brain for it. He just needed to calm the fuck down. Ohhh-kay. It's been ringing for quite some time by the moment he gripped the phone with his sweaty palm.  
***

What the fuck? Are they taking a fucking lunchbreak at 6, or what?!  
Mickey chewed on his lower lip, his nerves getting to him while he waited. What the hell was he gonna say? He still didn't know. Shit, he might not say a single thing if they aren't picking up. Mickey let out a heavy huff, regretting not bringing his gun out with himself. It would somewhat calm his shit to practice shooting under the bridge at the garbage bins. He looked around, checking for the 100th time that nobody was around when he realized the beeping sound suddenly stopped in his ear. 

'Haven Helpline, what can I do for you?' –He heard the familiar raspy voice and cursed inwardly. It had to be him, right? Uh, whatever. He only called to... Fuck. What did he even call them for? To know for sure he was gay? Well, the kid's voice on the line was enough to make his heart pound and his skin erupt in goosebumps again. The fuck did it mean if not what he was afraid to acknowledge. Yes. He simply was...  
Uhh, no. Fuck, he could not be! He isn't! No damn way…  
Mickey rubbed the back of his head in panic, his throat tightening with the heavy emotions running through him as he fought to even finish that thought. Then he realized the young guy was still on the phone with him. 

'My name is Ian' - he said and sounded somewhat hesitant, but very kind and patient. Ian. Mickey liked the way the name fit to the voice he digged so much. He let out a shaky breath, intending to finally talk when he heard the boy again. - 'I can only help you if you talk to me. Just try me' - Mickey almost heard the wink at the end of that sentence and it almost made him forget everything and smile, but, at the end he held it back. He was so fucking good at holding back, anyway. An image of his father popped up in his mind in his usual threatening, furious form and meanwhile he kept on repeating Ian's words again and again in his head. „'I can only help you if you talk to me”. But still Terry's stone cold expression was filling his inner vision. He swallowed hard because he was getting nauseous all of a sudden, and he pulled the speaker closer to his lips holding it with a deadly grip before he growled: 

'No, you can't help me. Nobody fucking can…' - and then, he hang up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uhh, spoiler?: Next time they actually get to talk, promise :D


	3. Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Guys!!
> 
> So finally I got around to post this chapter which is very long compared to the earlier ones ;)  
> And, with the AU factor I'm playing around a little, so Mandy and Ian are not going to the same school, and there might be similar changes in the future. 
> 
> The gaming thing I was not sure about but then I remembered the scene from season 1 when Mickey takes the joystick from Ian's hands, and that reassured me enough :D 
> 
> I really hope you like the way it goes, feel free to let me know :)
> 
> Happy Reading!

'Hey. I brought some burgers home, don't you wanna come down before Carl eats them all? He is like a bulldozer these days... ' - Fiona opened the door and Ian took his earphones out impassively.  
She raised her brows in question so he reacted. 

'Nuh, I heard you. I'm not hungry' - he said with a shurg. Fiona's eyes were definitely filled with worry as she stood there, arms folded in front of her. 

'Sure about that?' 

'Yeah' - Ian felt bad enough for what happened at work and he couldn't possibly handle feeling worse for making his big sister anxious so he added - 'I'm just... I had a shitty day. Don't worry, okay?' 

'Wanna talk about it?' 

'Not really... I don' t know.'  
Fiona waited because Ian's tone and his 'I don't know' surely meant an uncertain 'yes'. She walked closer to the redhead's bed and seated herself at Ian's side. An emerald pair of eyes kept staring at her with a frown before the young man sighed and rolled said eyes. 

'Alright... Well. There was a guy... A caller today. He is giving me the chills...' –Ian explained when his sister interrupted suddenly:

'Is he aggressive, or creepy? Because, Ian, you don't have to... ' 

'Do you want to hear it or not?' - Ian's eyes were innocently blinking but his voice was annoyed and impatient. 

'Uh. Yep. Sorry...'  
He nodded. 

'So he calls... And he doesn't say a word. I can hear him breathe like he’s been running a fucking marathon and still, nothing. I try to help him, like, I say it's okay and shit, I tell him my name... Still, nothing. And, he did this last Friday too.' 

'How do you know it's a guy then?' 

'Uhh, he actually said one thing before hanging up today. Uh, "you can't fucking help me, nobody can"– he quoted, raising his eyes up while trying to mimic the tone of the mystery caller.  
A strong cold wave of discomfort rushed through Ian when recalling the moment despite the summer heat. It shouldn't mean much because the guy must be a really tough case, and Fiona says quite the same thing too. 

'I know you see this as a personal failure but you know what? There are even more fucked up families than us. It's not your fault.'  
He remembered Jeff too. He had said the same words to him today. Not his fault, huh? For a moment the crosses his mind that he could try calling the night shift as a troubled gay teen to tell them his story. It brought a smile to his freckled face because it seemed so absurd it almost sounded funny. 

'Yeah, that's what I like to see. And I think you have even more freckles now than you used to!’– Fiona rubbed one finger to his cheek with affection and Ian made a face and rolled his eyes.

’It’s always like this in the summer…’

’Sure. Now come on and eat.'  
Seeing the way Fiona looked at him, with the warm spark in her eyes Ian knew he couldn't refuse any longer. But at night sleep didn't come easily to him. He kept thinking about the voice and could't help but wonder what this guy might look like. He should be older than him based on the edgy, rough voice, but not so much older. A couple of years? But Haven was supposed to be for teens. Probably 19 then? Yeah. Maybe. But someone at 19 should be more... Uh, sure, right? But he had been very hesitant. Unstable? Could he be on drugs? Possibly. The more Ian thought about it the more he wanted to somehow talk to the boy more. The one sentence he received from him made him worry about the person’s mental state. Ian couldn’t shake the idea that a suicidal caller must sound something like this. He could actually track back the number in the computer and call the guy himself. But that would get him fired quickly so he chased the idea away as soon as it was born. ’Uh, don’t be stupid, Ian just fucking sleep already!’  
As he lay there in the darkness on his back, wearing only his yellow tartan boxer briefs because of the heat, he focused on the dim lights painting weird shapes on the wall when suddenly his newfound peace broken by a random weight falling onto him through the open window. Ian jumped in panic with a shout – the 'burglar' also started to yell – and within moments the lights went up.  
It was Fiona who stood at the door and Lip who attacked Ian's ankles when climbing - uh, more like falling inside. 

'What the fuck is happening here?' - she asked sleepily. 

'Why did you fucking come through the window?! You almost gave me a heart attack!' - Ian was breathing heavily, but already started grinning, coming down from the adrenaline shock. 

'Why did she fucking lock the door!?' - Lip gestured heatedly towards Fiona who rolled her eyes. 

'To keep Frank outside... Where did you get the ladder?' 

'From the guy’s backyard at the end of the street. And well, I'm very fucking happy he is kept outside but at least give me a fucking key next time!'  
'Would you all fucking shut up?' - they all heard Carl's annoyed voice, heavy with sleep.  
The house slowly went silent as everyone moved to their respective beds to get some rest and Ian finally slipped into a slumber too, thank God.  
On Friday he kept staring at the phone, inwardly begging for the 555 to call again. In the back of his mind he just knew the guy would. But until lunch time nothing interesting happened. Then, a girl who started working at Haven on the same day as Ian, flopped down next to him on a chair she brought with herself. Ian looked at her curiously, his brows going high as their eyes met. 

'Do you have lunch?' - the girl asked. Ian never really took a meaningful glance at her before. She looked like some kind of a badass though. A punk maybe? Her long socks and layered short skirt made him think so, and the heavy makeup she was wearing, all in grey and black colors. She also had a piercing in her nose and had some colorful streaks in her wavy long hair.

'I uh, I brought a burger'– Ian said, still surprised he attracted company. Until this day nobody asked him if he wanted to have lunch together. 

'Woah. So damn fancy after your simple sandwiches. Special occasion?' 

'Not really. My sister brought a thousand of burgers yesterday. Probably robbed a McDonald's.' - Ian joked, not really paying attention to the fact that she remembered his usual meals. Now she was laughing a little too loud at his joke. 

'Well, not sure about your sister but it sounds like something my brothers would do.’ – she shrugged, then casually extended her hand with the black nails to him. –’Mandy.’

’I’m Ian.’

’I know’ – she grinned and unpacked her lunch indifferently on Ian’s desk. The redhead was slightly suprised but at last he decided to go with the flow and ate his lunch in the company of this Mandy. She seemed a little silly, but a decent person based on their chat. She told Ian about school, and a class trip when all of Mandy’s classmates escaped at night to attend a local festival… And the teacher who was a little too interested in her lately so she painted a big purple dick on the front door of his house, and that’s how she ended up at Haven. She needed to do some volunteer work all summer and proove it with a boss’s signature every week that she actually did her job. This was her punishment and redemption or she would be expelled from the school. 

’But the guy is a real dick, right?’ – Ian asked back.

’Whatever you would call an old shithead who sits next to me in the school canteen to have a feel of my thigh with his sweaty palm…’

’Ugh, gross! Couldn’t you just tell the police? He’d be fucked’ – Ian tried.

’Nah… um. You wouldn’t understand. My family is not on good terms with the cops’– she shrugged casually again, it seemed to be a trait of her as she leaned back on her seat.

’Yeah, that’s kinda familiar. My relatives are like that too…’– Ian smiled. 

’Really? Wow. You seem like the statue of innocence, Ian Gallagher. It’s hard to believe your family is as fucked up as mine…’ – she leaned into his face suddenly and it made Ian slightly uncomfortable to actually feel the scent of her gum she started chewing after lunch. He gulped with wide eyes and it made her pull back with an offended expression on her face.

’What? You seem tense…’

’Uh, nothing.’– Ian didn’t want to hurt her by stating he was not interested in her because she might just be this touchy and close with everyone. He shouldn’t assume Mandy was attracted to him or anything.

’You actually looked tense even before I came up to you. Was there a freak calling or something?’

’No, no freak. I just…’ – Ian thought about telling her the story of the mystery caller but should he? He felt kind of pathetic for not being able to let go of it. It was just a random guy, for God’s sake. But she urged him on, patting his lower arm.

’Tell me!’

’Alright.’ –Ian decided it would cause no harm if he told Mandy about it. – ’A guy keeps calling and then he doesn’t say anything. I really want to know if he is alright because last time after a long silence he finally spat out that I could not possibly help him. I know it’s crazy but I keep thinking, what if… he hurt himself?’  
He saw the way the girl’s mind was at work, thinking hard about a solution, pointing her tongue at the corner of her mouth meanwhile. She the suddenly focused back on Ian’s face, eyes wide and sure.

’Well it’s easy. If you remember the time he called, look him up in the system. Call him back’ – she said what Ian had been afraid of. 

’I-I don’t even know how to look for that’– he wanted to find a valid enough reason to avoid breaking the rules of the organization, but he was out of that luck. The girl rolled closer to his computer, and with some quick clicks she found the database that contained all the incoming calls Ian had since starting to work at Haven. It was marked even with an I and a G as Ian Gallagher, from the 5th of June, he couldn’t even miss it.

’So when did he call?’

’Uh, um… thank you, Mandy, but I think it’s…’ – Ian broke out in sweat trying not to sound lame but still meaning to play by the rules. He swallowed hard then his luck seemed to find the way back to him because suddenly his phone went off ringing.  
Mandy smirked at him lazily and nodded, leaving him to his work, pulling the plus chair away with a wave. Ian felt relief as he picked up the phone without even looking at the number. The moment he said his line he realized he had not checked the caller and a new wave of anxiety filled him.

’Last time you recognized me, what’s up with that?’ – Adelin barked into his ear jokingly and Ian decided it was time to fucking wind down somehow after work because this constant stress was eating up his sanity. 

’Uh, sorry. I didn’t see it was you. How are you today, Adelin?’

After his working hours Ian decided to go for a run to relieve the stress that was nagging him all day. He had been skipping his trainings lately anyway, because it was summer, and that meant a little break from his military pre-school too. Running was his usual way to clear his head, it refreshed his mind and wore his body out to be able to sleep at night.  
He didn’t even mind the summer heat that much when he was in the middle of it already, feeling a slight breeze hitting his face. He reached the park and decided to make a circle around it. This way the session would take longer but Ian might tire himself out enough for his mind to settle a little.  
As he passed the park he noticed the children who were playing at the playground, the teens smoking in a group at the other end of the green area, and closer to the busy road a drunk dirty guy was trying to take a leak. He reminded Ian of Frank, his father, which thought was actually sad. And Fiona had said, someone might even have a more fucked up family? Like, how? Then, Ian remembered his training at Haven and a single word popped up in his mind: abuse. What if the guy who kept calling couldn’t talk? What if he was held captive? Or being tortured? What if he was hurt because he is gay?  
It became quite obvious for Ian that he needed to handle things more openly in the light of the perfect solution. He shouldn’t be so narrow-minded when for people in need he was the only chance for maintaining their sanity. Even if it meant breaking the rules sometimes. He placed one hand in his back pocket, feeling around for the little piece of paper which he brought with himself from work but never really intended to use, until now.

Some time after dinner he was sitting at the edge of his bed, staring at his old mobile phone (it looked like a brick and it’s screen had already been broken since forever). He didn’t notice Lip going out of the room to take a shower and didn’t notice him return either, like 35 minutes later. Time seemed to stop for him now that he had a plan in mind, and only his brother’s concerned voice shook him out of it.

’Jesus, are you waiting for your AIDS test results or somethin’?’

’What?’

’You haven’t moved a finger since… God knows how long! What’s with the phone?’ –Lip asked with powerful gestures, while trying to read Ian as always.

’I’m about to kinda break the law, I guess’– Ian took a shaky breath, meaning to come off as casual but failing.

’You callin’ a prostitute?’ – Lip grinned, slowly getting dressed but he still found Ian strange.

’Fuck off! No, I’m not. Would you leave me alone please?’

’You’re not telling?’– Lip pushed because he and Ian always could rely on eachother. He wanted his brother to know he can tell him anything. –’Is this about a guy?’  
Yeah, and Lip still felt bad for reacting badly when Ian came out to him. 

’If there is a guy worth mentioning I will tell you’ – Ian shrugged widening his eyes to hurry Lip to leave.

’Sure. Now, whatever you’re plannin’… just don’t get caught… and try not to get pregnant.’

’God, go already!’ – Ian laughed, grabbing Lip’s jeans and tossing it at him to get a move on.  
He took out the torn wrinkled piece of paper from his back pocket and he typed the number in – though by now he almost knew it by heart actually. Then he pressed ’call’ and huffed out an anxious sigh, holding it to his ear.  
It rang one, two, three times until the tension built to an unbearable point inside his chest, urging him to stop, so he suddenly did. He dropped the phone on the nightstand and tried to will his heavy heart to stop pounding against his ribs like crazy. He let himself fall back on the mattress, feeling slightly light-headed. It’s okay, I’ll just fucking forget about it! – he told himself, though he secretly knew already he wouldn’t.  
Ian lay there for fuck knows how long until he started to really calm down, opening his eyes with an incredulous laugh. Wow, he had been acting fucking weird, he realized. Probably this job was not so much for him. He couldn’t handle problematic teens, his life was complicated enough.  
Though, the way Jeff thanked him warmed his heart. And Adeline had said today that Ian was a blessing. Virginia praised him as much as she praised nobody else from the team… and he even seemed to be making a friend too, Mandy. He could handle this.  
Yes, this was working, the pleasant memories were calming him to a point where he hardly realized his phone was buzzing.  
He jolted up from the bed, grabbing it to look at the screen. The broken glass only let him see the last three numbers, but that was enough to bring him back to the edge of a heart attack. „555”!

’No, SHIT!’ – Ian started hyperventillating and he kept walking up and down as much as their room let him, shaking all over his body. Fucking hell, it was HIM! And it didn’t stop ringing. Jeez, he wished the guy would have been so persistent when calling him at Haven.  
But he didn’t need to be busted, right? He could play it as if he only mistyped the number. Yeah. He could get away with that. Now that he had a plan, he gulped and exhaled one more time before picking up, then he finally did it.

’Um… hey?’– he knew his voice was shaky and high-pitched.

’’bout fuckin’ time! You just called me like, some minutes ago. Only a couple of people know this number so ya better be one of ’em!’ – Ian instantly recognized the dude’s voice, and a huge wave of relief ran up his spine upon hearing he was very much alive, though his tone and attitude was absolutely different from what he remembered. He sounded a lot more confident, tougher, more threatening. When the guy called Haven, he came across as someone vulnerable, upset and doubtful. Ian didn’t know what to make of that difference. –’Hallo? Hey!’ – the guy growled impatiently and the redhead found it quite funny that they were the other way around this time. Now the mystery man was waiting for him to say a single shit. He could hang up on him to make him feel the same way, though Ian wasn’t after the drama, and this person was not going to be affected by it the way Ian was.

’Sorry, sir. I must have mistyped. I-I wanted to call my sister, so…’ –Ian played the scene in his mind and he almost heard himself say the words but then, now that he was over the first shock of hearing the mystery man’s voice, he couldn’t bring himself to just flee like a coward would. He was doing this for the guy, not himself. So he decided not to back off, but he feared an actual confession would scare the shit out of the man so he... improvised.  
He heard some noises from the background. It sounded like the boy was watching a movie, something where there was a fight with gunshots and some animal growling. Or… were those people? It was the music that gave it away, Ian would recognize it anywhere.

’Is this one of the… Resident Evil games you are playing?’– he heard himself ask so confidently he wasn’t sure where that came from. The whole thing felt random to him but he decided to listen to his instincts.

’Who the fuck… Wo-woah!’ – there was a short silence before the guy went on and Ian could hear his heart in his ears again. –’Wait, I… I fucking DO recognize this voice! FUCK ME, you can’t be… You are from the… the fucking helpline, aren’t ya?’ – Ian’s jaw dropped, he didn’t expect the boy to remember his voice like this. He didn’t know if it freaked him out or filled him with pride, that he made an impact on the stranger. As the boy mentioned the organization, his shocked yell subsided into almost a whisper. There were so many emotions in the guy’s tone Ian couldn’t wrap his head around it, but he wanted to, so badly. –’How the FUCK did you get my number?!’

’You called first, it was in the database’ – Ian answered honestly, but reassuringly, trying to swallow his nerves.

’The hell did you call me back for then?!’

’I just wanted to…! –Ian’s stomach did a dangerous flip now that the guy was panicking and he needed to take some steadying breaths before he went on– ’Uhh, …you called twice not saying shit other than… fuck I just wanted to know if you’re still alive, alright? God…’– it spilled out of Ian’s mouth all of a sudden and it left him with a strange sense of relief, like after throwing up.  
For some moments the other did not react, and Ian almost expected him to just hang up as he usually does. Then, he heard the guy speak, sounding somewhat… softer? Yes, definitely. And, a little pinch of surprise was in that tone, too.

’You thought I’d blow my brains out?’

’I didn’t fucking know what to think… But I kept wondering…’

’Well, I’m fucking alive, as you can hear!’ – he announced in almost an angry yell, but Ian had a feeling it was just over-acted to cover up a real emotion. –’So can you please forget this damn number so I can go back to killing some fucking zombies?!’  
This was bullshit. He would have just hang up if he wanted Ian to forget his number and leave him alone. He could switch off his phone even. But he didn’t do any of those. Ian gained back some of his courage at this revelation.

’So which one are ya playing?’

There was a long pause before any reaction but this time Ian KNEW he would not just leave. And finally, he proved to be right. He could hear the button being pressed, and the music starting again abruptly as the game continued in the background. A satisfied smirk appeared on Ian’s slightly sunburnt face.

’The third…’– the other boy answered briefly, then cursed immediately – ’FUCK you, you groaning bitch! She just killed me with one damn bite!’ – the irritated whining from this guy was bringing an even bigger smile to Ian’s face for some fucked up reason. He could have hung up long ago, but here he was still, talking about a game with him. He surely hoped this would get him somewhere and this guy once would include his name in his prayers.

’Just watch the health bar. If it turns red you need a spray or an herb.’

’Huh. Ya playin?’ – he heard him ask.

’Used to. We had the old PS only for a while…’ –Ian told him honestly, leaving out the details that it was a Christmas gift from Frank who stole it when that type was already outdated, from the cellar of one of his drinking buddies who has a son. The old machine only worked for like 3 months after Lip downloaded some games (of course, freely). This game was a fairly old one. Ian wondered why the other boy was playing it. Was it nostalgia? Or was he just about as poor as the Gallaghers?  
He heard the mystery guy curse again so he asked him a question that would give him the pointer. –’Where are you stuck?’

’Pffh. Dunno, I’m not so far in… After climbing over a roadblock a hundreds of these fuckers flood me… Like, how is this fucking possible?!’  
Oh. So he was playing it for the first time. Definitely not a rich boy, then.

’I think I know it. Tried shooting from the top of the roadblock?’  
Ian kept listening, from the distance some artificial gunshots could be heard and the „shooter’s” determined grunts that made Ian’s mind wander only for a brief moment before he caught a victorious shout.

’Fuck yeah, Bitches!’

’Got through?’

’Yeah… Yeah, I did. The top of the block, huh…?’ – Ian didn’t really expect a proper „thank you” from him so he was satisfied with the delighted tone of the other’s voice. He even let off a little of his guard and leant back on his bed, needing a little rest after so much stress lately.– ’You are good at this shit aren’t ya?’

’Sure. Whenever you need help killing zombies, just call my line.’ –Ian joked and got an earful of a matching amused huff from the other side that made him bite his lip excitedly. –’See? I could help ya. You said I couldn’t but it wasn’t true. Should’ve trusted me more, huh?’

For a moment he waited and the smirk lingered on his face, but then it slowly died as he could hear a heavy sigh from the other guy.

’I gotta go’ – the guy simply announced, his voice suddenly filled again with all those worrisome emotions Ian sensed the first time he listened to him speaking. 

’Hey, wait! Will you tell me your name or something?’– Ian tried, desperately clinging to his phone while sitting up. This can’t end like this! This was going so well!

’No’ – the mystery guy chocked out. –’But… thanks for… caring, I guess’– and then, Ian could hear the familiar click that meant the end of the call. Man, if he was confused before, now he will just go insane!


	4. Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey fellow Gallavich Fans :)
> 
> These days there is so little new content to see about these guys so I hope I can provide something to have fun with.
> 
> This time my beta-reader was not available so I am just putting this part of my soul out here as it comes (and it feels a little like taking a walk outside naked :D )
> 
> For the technical part, *** means change in POV but I guess it will be obvious anyway. 
> 
> So, Happy Reading and
> 
> let me know what you think! ;)

On Monday morning after practically no sleep at all Ian was suffering with every passing second. He, Lip and Carl were watching the rugby match last night and they re-watched the highlights a thousand times after. Now Ian was hardly awake, so the lack of phone calls at Haven that day was something he was kinda happy about. He was just sitting there, his head propped up on his hands, his posture fragile like a house of cards that could collapse any minute. Mandy was missing from work too but he didn't mind it so much at the moment either – at least nobody would interrupt his chilling session.   
When the phone finally rang at around 1pm the redhead sleepily picked it up with a not intended growl, but suddenly his eyes doubled in size as he heard the caller after his usual greeting line. 

’Uhmg… Haven helpline what can I do for you…?’

'Don't fuckin fall asleep on me, that's what...'

'Woah, it's you?!' – it came a sa shock when he heard the unmistakable voice of his Mr. Mystery. 

'Ah, awake now? Am I still that interesting to ya?' - and, the guy was in a cocky mood. Ian felt a waking shiver running through him at the flirty tone and he caught himself smirking stupidly in the mirror hanging next to his seat on the wall. 

'Sure. So... Need help with the game again?' - he tried to come off as casual, like it was no big deal he somehow MADE this boy want to call and talk to him again. 

'Nah.'

'Did you finish it?' 

'Within fuckin two days? What do you think I am, some geek with no life?' - behind that annoyed bark Ian could hear the hiding softness in his voice.

'So... What's up then?'   
At that, silence followed. The redhead frowned in confusion. How does this question stop a conversation ever? - 'You there?'

'Fuckin here, yeah...' - The groan of the other boy indicated some kind of a frustration about to surface. 

'Alright...'- Ian said patiently. 

'Uhm. Shit. I just wanna...' -the guy stopped to hesitate. - 'How do you know... So, how do you fucking know that you're... Ya know.'  
Ian didn't. But he had a wild guess.

'Umm, gay?' 

'Yeah, goddamnit..'   
He thought about it for a moment. This couldn't be a serious question. I mean, not from a guy like him. He sounded just so confident and cool. But to get to the destination, Ian hopped into this game. 

'Well. Are you attracted to girls?' 

'Ya askin if I can get it up for 'em? Yeah, sure I can!'

'Then it's easy. You aren't gay.' - Aren't my ass, Ian thought to himself. This dude called Haven, a gay helpline two times in absolute panick so he surely knew something might not be so straight over there. Plus, Ian asked himself this question like, 6 years ago. When he was 11.

'But to be on the safe side, how old are you?' - he questioned before he would assume something he shouldn't. 

'What the fuck do you need my age for?' 

'I need to tell different things a 13 year old and a 19 year old.'

'Stick with the 19...' 

'Okay. So you are ruled out as gay now…' - the redhead bluffed based on the "facts" - 'But you still can be bi.' 

'What the fuck?!' 

'Bisexual. You not familiar with that term?' 

'That's also very fuckin' gay!' - the other almost whined and it made Ian need to bite his lip hard not to chuckle. 

'Not technically.' - he managed to react professionally- 'But yeah, also likes guys. Do you like guys?' 

'Hey don't talk to me like I'm fuckin stupid!'

'I'm not. I'm not doing that, I swear. '- Ian explained -'Listen. If you really want my help on that you need to be honest with me. I don't know you and won't tell anybody else. I know how hard it is, I am gay, you know?'

'So it is hard now, huh? That's why ya called me back on Friday too, little perv?'

'Okay, that definitely sounded gay!' - Ian laughed out loud, then suddenly noticed his volume and looked around the place in alarm, but not a single soul was paying attention to his chat with the stranger. Suddenly he wished that he was at home, alone in his (uh, and Lip's and Carl's) room with his phone at his ear. The redhead realized that he never felt like this before with other callers on the line. 

'Fuck you!' - he then heard the other giggle too. 

***

As they laughed, Mickey felt an odd warmth filling his chest. It was nice to talk to a complete stranger without the usual restraints, without having to fear they would judge them or that they betray his trust. He was completely alone in the house. Mandy was out with a guy on a date, and his father was away on a 'business trip' with his brothers, so there was absolutely no reason for him to play his usual role. Moreover, there was no real use denying his attraction to dudes now, right after getting off on the most cliché gay porn scene with that pizzaboy...  
Their giggles grew quiet but Ian was still with him on the phone, waiting patiently in silence. Mickey bit the inside of his mouth, huffing out in frustration before he began.

'Listen asshole, if you try to fucking make fun of me or laugh...' 

'I won't' - Ian promised before he could finish. His voice was convincing, reassuring and still very hot.   
Mickey took some calming breaths, then just said it. 

'I think I'm like... You.' 

'Hmm? You are... like me?' - Ian must have understood, but the little shit played the clueless. 

'For God's sake, gay!!!' - he yelled into the silence of his home and the experience gave him a strange thrill. - 'Yeah' - he shrugged in a masculine way as if Ian or anyone else could see him to make the declaration less sharp. 

'What about your attraction to girls then? - Ian asked back curiously. 

'Oh come on, I could get it up for anything these days, even for a fucking mosquito!'   
Ian's poorly held back chuckle made its way to Mickey's ear and he immediately reacted. 

'You fuckin promised not to laugh!' 

'Stop being funny, then!' 

'Pffth' - Mickey huffed out and smirked secretly, his anger flying away. This boy was... Kinda cute. He wished he could see how he looked. 

'So, gay, huh? Then you DO know you like di... I mean, uhm, guys.' –Ian quickly corrected himself.

'You' re not allowed to say 'dick'? 

'Nah.'

'Well yeah, I do... I can' t believe I fuckin said it, though...'

'I can't either. But I'm glad you did.'

'Why?'

'Every gay guy should be able to say it, it's liberating.' –the redhead leaned back in his seat, still feeling thrilled by reaching their new level of trust.

'Then say it' - Mickey's lips twitched upwards as he challenged the boy.   
He heard Ian's throaty laugh and it's crazy but he was starting to slightly turn him on. - 'Come on!' 

'I can't! Not here...' - The other laughed again. 

'Are ya a chicken?' 

'Yeah, I am. So what?' - Mick could still hear the grin from his tone. He, himself still had that smirk on his face too. 

'Then I need to call ya later to make ya say it.' - it just slipped out, without even meaning to and he widened his eyes, reaching his hand up to touch his chin like he somehow could take back the words that were already in the open. Did he just flirt with this guy?   
Ian let out a high sound of surprise.

'You mean... At home?' 

'Fuck knows where you are gonna be later!' 

'Probably in my bed, resting' 

'Rest with your phone near, then' 

'Alright' - Ian chuckled softly, and it was a happy sound. It calmed Mickey's sudden panick and gave way to his excitement for having a... phone-date later that night with the Raspy.

'Will you tell me your name?' - Uhh, always the name shit. He asked it last time too. Why the fuck was it so important?! As Mickey didn't answer, Ian started growing impatient. - 'Hey, come on. Just give me something dude, so I can think of you as anything other than 'the Mystery Man'!' - as Ian articulated that it sounded like a bad parody of a superhero movie. It made Mickey laugh again. 

'I kinda like that.' 

'No way...'   
Mickey almost wanted to give the desperate boy what he wanted, so before he would do something rushed, Mickey decided to buy himself a little time. 

'I'll tell ya tonight. But now I gotta go. See ya'

'... can't wait! Bye, Mr... Mystery Man!'   
And then, they both hung up. 

***

So later that day Ian was still very much looking forward to the call, excited as he walked to the bus station from work.   
He couldn't wipe off the delighted smile from his freckled face until he actually reached the spot. Then, it ended immediately.  
At the bus stop two bigger guys were beating up a young one, probably like 13-14 years old. The boy had a bleeding nose and was down on his butt, and yet they still kept kicking him – the guys visibly finding the situation amusing.   
Ian was never really good at hiding his feelings, and even less when he witnessed injustice. It just triggered him so much that logic left his brain. Whatever the kid did to those guys he could not deserve to be treated like that.

’Hey! Leave him alone, idiots!’– he intervened so the fuckers finally stopped beating him and turned with their fury towards Ian.  
It all happened as he expected from there. The bullies found their new victim, and although Ian was not new to fighting, he couldn’t handle two bigger guys attacking him for long. The boy he saved at least ran away and was nowhere to be found by the time he got the first punch, making the skin tear at his lower lip. He brought the wanker down with a kick then, but unfortunately the other one pulled himself together by then, and grabbed at Ian’s torso to just throw him against the wall of a building. Ian felt like he was hit by a truck after the kicks that followed his landing, but luckily the arrival of the bus ended his torture, the two bullies running off somewhere and leaving him lying there.   
As some passengers left the bus, and elderly lady noticed Ian and helped him up, asking him if he needed an ambulance or the police but Ian shook his head violently. He just needed to get home, and none of those would help him feel better now. A painkiller and some rest will just do. 

’Is this yours?’ – he heard another woman say who just stood there, staring at him with concern. She held up a little black thing that Ian immediately recognized and he jumped towards it, hit by the realization.  
It was his mobile phone… broken and badly damaged.

’Oh, shit, no!’– he panted in shock, his mind immediately going back to his very much anticipated evening plans involving that phone. Oh, fuck! The screen stayed dark, no matter what buttons he pushed, but the huge broken surface would not let him see any details on it anyway. It was only a piece of junk, nothing else now.  
’Are you sure you don’t want us to call the police?’ – the younger woman repeated.

’I… I am. Thank you. I’m fine…’ – the redhead signed with resignation. Then he realized that the bus was still standing at the stop, the driver also concerned about his well-being. Uh, this definitely wasn’t the south side of Chicago anymore.  
As he got on the bus he immediately was given a free seat and a tissue to press it against his bloody face. On the way people kept staring at him like he was some interesting sight. But he didn’t really care about them. He couldn’t have been more disappointed by the turn of events so he just kept looking out through the window, zoning out completely.  
He didn’t say anything to his siblings either, when he entered the door. Debbie was baking something and frowned when Ian didn’t even reply to her ’Hi Ian’, though she didn’t see his face. He ignored Fiona too who was getting her shoes on sitting on the stairs. But Ian couldn’t slip by her without getting noticed.

’Hey. What happened to you?’– she grabbed his wrist worriedly.

’Nothing…’ – Ian ducked his head, not really feeling like talking now.

’Woah. That much blood doesn’t seem to be nothing on your shirt. Who did this?’– Fiona grabbed his chin to raise his head and make eye contact. Ian still avoided it as much as he could.

’Just... some guys. They were beating up a little kid, I had to stop them.’

’Like this? Great. What the fuck is up with you these days?’– Ian knew she wouldn’t understand why he was trying to care about everyone. Funny, because Fiona had always been doing something similar, just only for them.

’It’s called hero complex’– Lip said casually as he walked by too, eyeing Ian’s face. –’Woooh, that looks nasty!’ –Ian suddenly felt overwhelmed by them and he tore himself away from Fiona’s grip to aggressively get away from all of them.

’Would you just fucking leave me alone for now?!’– he barked and shut the door to their room a little more forcefully than intended, with a big noise.

Hours later he still didn’t eat anything, it was dark already and Carl was just finishing in the bathroom before probably coming in to sleep. Ian turned away from the door to face the wall, anger still boiling in his veins. Fuck. FUCK, FUCK! He never wanted anything so badly than to just talk to him. It wasn’t clear for him why, but being unable to do it, and being cut off from actually informing the guy that he would not be available that night was driving him crazy.  
Uh well, he did know, why.   
This was his first case where he could make a real difference. The one that bugged him, excited and interested him since beginning to work at Haven. And now he was making actual progress with him, finally. He admitted that he was gay, he started to open up to him and Ian finally felt like the two of them were… having fun.  
Well, not exactly the point of the Helpline, but he didn’t really have fun like that with anyone before. There were his mates from school or the military training who he was okay around, but forming close friendships is not so easy when you are gay and know that people don’t always react very acceptingly when learning this info. Of course, Ian had his siblings too, but their encounters were different too…   
Wait. Was it because… he found the boy on the other end of the line somehow … attractive in a way?  
Ugh, wonderful.   
He was not supposed to feel that. Not at all, it isn’t what this job should look like. But then, again… When he thought about their conversation today, his heart decided to skip some beats and warmth pooled in his chest.   
Anyway, there was no use for him in dwelling on those sweet moments, because there surely will be no other times like that. This guy was impulsive and easily offended. He must be thinking Ian was a jerk for not talking to him tonight.  
It was… over.  
Ian felt a tear rolling down the side of his face.

***

At around 9pm Mickey finished off the remains of a grilled chicken he found in the fridge from a couple of days back. Or was it more? Who cared, if it still tasted kinda decent.   
His fingers were fucking sticky and a mess when he reached for his phone, and he couldn’t even get the number right like that so he cursed and went to wash his hands by the sink. Then he made himself comfortable on the sofa and lied back against the pillows, trying again to find Ian’s number from last Friday. He had been feeling this little pinch of excitement constantly all day, though he wanted to deny that even to himself. It was there, though. The little Raspy somehow kept chewing at the insides of his mind, giving Mickey goosebumps whenever he let himself sink into the feeling.   
He could imagine this conversation would turn playful, or even, well, dirty. He wouldn’t have minded it at all to be honest. He had been so horny all day he hardly could hold on until the evening without touching himself (uh, again. Because he already did in the morning, but obviously that was a long time ago.)   
He was saving it, because he really wanted to hear that hot voice crack on the phone, as Ian’s words turn into a whimper. Mickey just KNEW he could make Ian come undone if he wanted to. Or, well he very fucking hoped so. And now, it was time to find out.  
Mickey raised the phone to his head, scratching at his scalp in anticipation, when suddenly he heard the front door open.  
He dropped the phone immediately as he found himself face to face with his father, his cold gaze always making Mickey’s stomach jump and his muscles tense up.

’Who the fuck ya callin’?’ – he asked in a tone that Mickey found almost accusing, or he only thought so because he knew what he was about to do just now.  
Meanwhile Mickey’s assfaced brothers also entered and raided the kitchen, one of them opening the fridge and barking a disappointed ’FUCK’.

’It’s pretty fuckin’ empty!’

’Yeah, I know’ – Mickey took a deep breath in, taking hold of the phone again, coming up with the most believable lie. –’Was about to call Mandy to bring home pizza or some other shit…’

’Tell her to bring beer too’ – Mickey’s father growled before disappearing into the bathroom with a cigarette hanging from his mouth.

Mickey looked at the phone, Ian’s number still on the screen and he felt his heart sink. These idiots weren’t supposed to be back so soon. Now he lost his chance to have a little fun, and, he had the alarming suspicion that Ian would be hurt by him lying about calling him tonight.  
Fucking hell.  
He slowly typed in Mandy’s number as he shook his head in frustration. He only hoped he might be able to make it up to Ian tomorrow…


	5. Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Guys!
> 
> I'm a bit slower these days, working on more things at the same time, sorry!
> 
> But I really hope you enjoy this, we are reaching the edge of smut here, yayy
> 
> Let me know what you think, 
> 
> Happy reading!

Ian arrived at Haven to witness Mandy and Virginia fighting.

'You are NOT supposed to pick up phones! That violates the rules!' 

'But it kept ringing...' 

'You already were told off for skipping a day Mandy. I swear to God I just want you to...' -This was the point where Ian felt like he should intervene smoothly and innocently to save Mandy from being fired. He didn't really know the girl yet but there was something about her, a strange strength combined with vulnerability. Ian's instincts told him to help her. 

'Hey Virginia! Mandy!'   
Both of the frustrated women looked at him and their expression changed immediately. 

'Jesus Ian! What happened to you?!'   
Yes, it worked.   
But now Ian had to fill them in about his beating yesterday. 

When he approached his seat, Mandy was following him. The boss finally gave her a chance to prove herself, beginning with helping Ian today. Virginia wanted him to go to a doctor first, but Ian insisted on staying and he swore he felt alright. By the way Ian learned about Mandy that she definitely was not a phone operator here. Her job was to get the supplies for Haven, like an assistant. Now she was supposed to refill the coffee machine, but before that she leaned onto Ian's desk to talk. 

'So you didn't call the guy, did you? The one that hung up'   
Ian kept silent at Mandy's sudden question. On one hand, because he immediately felt that exact rush of shame and sadness again that came over him the moment he knew the phone was screwed. And, he was not 100% sure he should tell Mandy about his way of violating the rules. The redhead didn't really hide his facial movements well though, which ultimately always gave him away. 

'Wait, you did?!' 

'Let's not talk about that... Not now, okay?' 

'Right, but you're coming with me at lunchtime! You are totally telling!' - She grinned. 

Ian felt miserable again all morning. It was the perfect mix of physical and emotional pain that kept his adrenaline levels up and his mind in chaos.   
He took a prank call and froze, not being able to process the whole thing at 10am. Then he decided to direct the next call right after this puzzling experience to the guy sitting behind him, Timothy.   
Ian almost felt sick from his nerves at 12 o'clock, but since he promised to go grab a hot dog with Mandy, he went to find her at the entrance. Soon they were strolling together around the park, and Ian felt somewhat calmer chewing on his piece of hot dog. 

'Sounds like a douchebag to me.'- Mandy shrugged, reacting to Ian's story. Of course, he told her about the guy. Ian actually felt thrilled to talk about him and think of all the conversations they had. 

'Nah, he was cool.'

'So, did he call you back? What happened?'   
Ian felt his chest tighten at her question when reality kicked in. His shoulder sank as he pointed a finger towards his beaten up face. 

'This happened. Fuckers broke my phone into pieces. So, whatever. The guy probably hates me now.'

'No way! Plus, he might have forgotten to call too. And anyway, you solved the problem. No suicide, he even accepted being gay. You did cool' - Mandy rubbed Ian's back with her food-stained hand reassuringly. 

'You think?...' - Ian blinked at her with hesitant puppy eyes, then it occured to him - 'Hey and where were you then?' 

'I was uh, meeting a guy. He turned out to be a fuckhead. Like always. No big deal.'

'He didn't hurt you though, right?' 

'Nope. I hurt him. When he didn't take no for an answer I kicked him.  
Why are all the cute guys gay?'- she sighed, taking a side-glance at the freckled boy. Ian drew his brows together curiously. 

'Do you know a lot of cute gay guys?' 

'Well, one definitely.Too bad. Do you have a brother?' 

'I have 3.' - Ian shrugged. 

'Any of them hot and straight?' 

'Umm, one of them is legal age.'-Ian thought of Lip. He actually might like Mandy, the redhead guessed. Lip was always after complicated girls. Well, Mandy sure as hell wasn't simple. 

'Let me meet him!' - she cheered as they reached the workplace. 

'You do have brothers too, right?' - Ian asked back because Mandy just seemed like the type to grow up with guys. She was tough and brave. And, Ian felt definitely better now and a little chat was getting his mind off further from his favourite caller. 

'3 as well, shit.' 

'Really!' - Ian huffed. 

'Yeah, but none of them is hot, and not sure if they're gay or straight because they are losers.'

'All of them?' 

'Pretty much, yeah.'

Ian was fresh and back on track after lunch. He did get the kick he was looking for and acknowledged that the very grim case he was so afraid of did not happen. Mr. Mystery was not suicidal, and probably those two calls they shared were enough to give him the strength he needed. 

Yeah. Ian was holding onto that thought, trying to suppress the other part of the story, his personal feelings and the sense of attachment he started to develop for this guy, even if he hadn't known him for long.   
Probably this was for the best. 

The redhead had some calls that day, two recurring callers and one new, all easy toned conversations. One of them was his boy, the young Jeff who had been having trouble with the alcoholic father accepting him. When Ian saw the name on the screen, the one he saved in the system a while ago, a wide smile appeared on his face. He was expecting good news automathically, after the light talks he's been having with others. 

'Hi Jeff. How is it going?' 

'Hey Ian!' - the cheerful voice at the end of the line indicated that Ian was right, thankfully. - 'I'm actually fine, I think' 

'Glad to hear that!' - Ian almost sang the words. 

'You know, I just wanted to call you to say "thank you" . You were right! Dad came home, we talked for some days, and I think he gets it. We are going fishing this weekend like when I was little. I'm so relieved, Ian! And, you helped me a lot.'

'Ohh, come on, Jeff. You did the brave act. I just told ya a story' - Ian felt his cheeks turn slightly red. He was not used to compliments or people expressing their gratitude to him. -'Just remember, Jeff: whatever happens, it always works out somehow.'

'I'll keep it in mind, Ian. Thanks again!'

Ohh, life was not so bad after all. Ian leaned back with pride after hanging up, with a fond smile on his cheeks. It tugged at his lip wound a little and he felt it sting, but whatever, it couldn't kill his mood. He thought about the kid at the bus station and was happy that he didn't get another bruise thanks to him. Ian was kinda high on the thought of being some type of a saviour for people. Maybe Lip was right about the hero complex. 

'Hey, Ian. Feel free to leave now. Rest a little, you earned it' - Virginia suddenly approached him. 

'Like... Now? It's only 4pm.'

'One little advice for future jobs: if your boss says you can go, don't ask questions' - she winked. But then the phone started ringing on Ian's desk all of a sudden. 

'Timothy will take it, just go' - she shrugged casually waving her hand with a smile.   
Ian almost pushed the button for redirecting when his sight fell over the screen for a moment. '555'!

'Aaahh!' - Ian couldn't find the words so a shocked groan slipped out of him - 'I-I need to take this! He is a regular, I will talk to him then I go, okay?' - the redhead's voice was shaking and he knew it. Virginia raised her brows at him before she said. 

'That's the dedication we all should have. Alright, be careful on the way home' - then she walked away. 

Ian was sweating by the time he went for it, gripping the phone like his life depended on it. 

'Hey' - that was all he said while fighting a shudder. 

****

Uh fuck, he definitely sounded hurt. Mickey pushed a knuckle against his temple to soothe his anxiety. The metal trash bin was cold against his back, that helped too. 

'How's it goin'?' - he said unsurely, intending to sound casual but he then bit his lip nervously. 

'It's uh... Well...' - alright, Mickey wasn't good at this angsty shit so he couldn't take Ian's strained babbling any longer. He just let it all out. 

'Look, I didn't call you yesterday because something came up. Hope ya get it, I uh... I wanted to... Fuck, just sorry, I guess.'

Ian stayed silent for some seconds. It was nerve-wrecking for Mickey so he sighed. 

'Something came up? A date?' - his voice suddenly sounded amused. What the hell? It's like the guy could change moods like pants. And this bullshit, huh. A date. Like Mickey was just out enough for that... 

'What?! No! No, I don' t... date. Nah. Just family shit.' - It seemed pathetic, the way he put it. It was like he had a proper family that cared about him while he knew it wasn't even close to the case.

Mickey's father didn't really give a shit as long as his kids didn't put him to shame. Like a gay son would for example...   
Uhh fuck, the thought almost made him throw up his lunch. Didn't help that Ian pushed. 

'Any family issues you wanna talk about? It helps...' 

'Nothing can fucking help with that, no.'  
Ian fell quiet again. Mickey didn't mean to sound that rude, it only triggered him in the wrong way. Fortunately though, the phone operator didn't stay silent for long, but Mick wasn't sure he was not offended. His voice sounded somewhat serious. 

'So you didn't call me for that. Why did you then?'   
The question felt surprisingly intrusive. Yeah, why did he again? Just because he felt guilty? Because Ian managed to crawl under his skin for some damn unknown reason? Mick suddenly felt the stupidest and wanted to just hang up. 'Are you just into my voice that much, huh?' - he heard it then. 

The fucker. That seductive witty tone immediately did things to him. He decided to make the little joker pay. 

'What if I am? Maybe that raspy shit is workin' me up' - Mickey smirked, knowing damn well how it sounded. It was a totally different thing that the shit he just said was true. 

'Oh is it now?' - and yet, Ian managed to return that shot right back at him. 

'Yeah. What ya gonna do about it? 

'I can... Come up with something to make you feel better, for sure. - Mickey's head was swimming by this time, and the blood in his veins was made of fire.   
He pushed his back and arms up against the cold metal in an attempt to cool his skin down with no real success. He could play this game for sure, but once he started, he didn't wanna have to cut it short. But Ian couldn't engage is some dirty-phone-talk session like this for long now, right? 

'Hhhmpf, aren't you at work?' - Mick snorted while lighting a cigarette. He felt the need to do something with his lips other than chewing at them in excitement. 

'Yeah I am' - Ian almost sounded innocent. Except, he fucking wasn't. 

'Careful then, don't get hard on the job, Phone-boy... '

'A little late for that, I'm afraid' - with that, Mickey almost swallowed the cigarette in whole. He choked on the smoke and started to cough violently, like his lungs were planning on leaving his body. 

'God damn, Ian...' -he tried to breathe - 'Alright, we gotta stop now, I'm on the street...'- Mickey took some deep calming breaths. He stopped dying but he was still freaking obviously hard. 

'Okay. Yeah. You're right.' - Ian at least agreed. 

'Wow. You got me pretty fuckin' into this for a guy I haven't even seen' - Mickey noted analysing his state, his free fingers running up his thigh but stopping before he would reach the planned destination. 

'Oh so isn't my voice enough now?'- Ian faked being offended. 

They both laughed a little bit. Then, Ian started again. 

'By the way it applies to you too. I was just about to leave work when you rang, now I'll have to sit and stay until... things calm down...'

'Huh, you're welcome'- Mickey couldn't help but feel awfully proud. He smirked smugly while taking a drag of his smoke. - 'Are you giving a treatment like this to every one of your callers?' 

'No, not really' - Ian's voice sounded somewhat like a whisper. It felt like he was uncovering a secret before Mickey. It gave him the chills. 

'Am I just special?' - This slip was not intended, but Mickey was just dying to hear him spell it out. 

'You could say that' - a wide grin appeared on the tough guy's face at that confession. His chest was flooded with warm heat and his fingers were still itching to slide them against the front of his sweatpants. 

'So why did ya pick up if you were already leavin?' - one more thing he grew curious about. 

'I saw it was you, obviously.' - Ohh and then one more lick of warmth hit him. But the reason why Mickey directed the conversation here was... 

'Thought ya were mad about me not calling...' -Mick was not sure why he had that feeling. Probably because not long ago Ian was so concerned about him that he broke the rules and called him from his own mobile phone. A strange bond formed between them then, and Mickey found himself actually giving a shit. It scared him but also got him addicted in a way. 

'Well actually... I couldn' t have talked to you either. Something came up for me too.'  
Ah, so this is why he got over it so easily. Wait. Mickey remembered the question Ian asked him at the beginning. A little spoonful of jelousy bit into his brain. 

'A date?' - he echoed Ian's earlier words. 

'No' - he laughed loudly- 'I lost my phone.' - Such a relief. But also, what a shame. 

'Shiit. I was planning on calling you tonight... To finish what ya started' - he growled and suddenly heard Ian gasp at the other end if the line. 

'Me?! Such accusations' - The reaction was oh so dramatic again. Sure this dude was vocal in bed. - 'I think I can get one of my siblings' phones and I can call you later... If you want that.'

'Since ya know my number by heart' - Mickey shrugged, a soft smile appearing on his silly face. Of course he wanted that, but in the back of his mind he knew the time might not be the best for a horny chat. His father surely wanted to drag him into something, and they were planning on doing it tonight. A simple robbery, nothing very exciting, only guns and drugs. He needed Mickey to drive and to stay outside as a guard.   
That was their way of spending together some quality family time. 

'Shut up' - he heard Ian's outburst and chuckled at it. 

Then they were laughing again, together. 

'So can you leave now already? Did your tent go away camping? 

'God, hang up already' - He almost could sense the way Ian turned red like a tomato just from his very revealing tone. 

'Sure. But... If I'm not answering tonight, I'll call ya back tomorrow at the same time, alright? My dad... He might give me work for today.' - he wanted to make that clear, but Mickey actually surprised himself with how honest he wanted to be with Ian. He never does this shit. 

'Hmm. Can't you give me a time by when you'll surely be in bed?' 

'Dunno, man. Well, fuck, like 4 am.'

'4 am it is, then. Be ready' - Ian giggled like a schoolboy. Mickey's arms were covered in goosebumps. 

'Sure, whatever' - he replied with neutral words but in a quite delighted tone. 'Bye, Phone-boy.' 

'You know my name. And, you promised me yours.' 

Oh shit, the cocky bastard remembered! Yeah, Mickey really did. But now Ian knew a lot of shit about him, he couldn't keep his damn mouth shut. Okay, not so many things. Well, it couldn't hurt to tell a nickname. But still, he felt hesitant. 

'Oh come on'-Ian practically begged. - 'Just say anything that I can call you...' 

'That you can moan, huh? Ya little perv.' 

'Possibly.' 

The silence was broken by a sigh.   
'I'm Mickey. Bye now, Ian, until 4 am' 

****

10 minutes later Ian was still grinning, sitting on his ass. A shaky breath in and out, and he still couldn't move.   
Mickey.   
Ian would need to have like 3 cold showers until 4am...


	6. Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Guys!! 
> 
> So it took me long, but this sh*t is the filthiest thing I've written with actual d*ck talk and everything, and I'm freaking nervous so please be gentle with me, but still I'd like to read your opinions :D
> 
> Sorry for the delay until... uhm, 4am.  
> I got sick and didn't have the brain to write.
> 
> Hope you enjoy it now :)
> 
> Happy Reading!
> 
> Love & kisses

'Ian! The hell are you doing in there' - Fiona's knocking was getting more aggressive now. Ian sighed, still grinning in delight, as he got up from the bathtub and turned the cold water off. It did absolutely nothing to calm him down, but whatever. He rubbed his scalp, getting water everywhere dripping from his red locks. He felt almost high.  
He heard another knock on the door, a little softer this time. His older brother's voice instantly could be heard.

'You think he is still alive?'

'I have no idea. Think he turned the water off...' - Fiona answered Lip.  
Ian wrapped a towel around his waist, rolling his eyes as he opened the door. 

'Finally!!' - The oldest Gallagher siblings barked in unision. 

'Can't a guy have some privacy, Jesus?!' 

'Your dick will fall off if you rub it for 2 hours straight.' 

'Fuck you' - Ian chuckled and closed the door to their room just to be opened immediately by Lip. The older one flopped down on the bed right beside Ian who didn't bother getting dressed yet because he still had water droplets all around his skinny toned body, from the lack of time to dry himself properly. He lit a cigarette and Lip kept staring at his face annoyingly.  
When Ian grew quite frustrated with his brother, he snapped. 

'WHAT?!' 

'Something happened.' - Lip smirked. - 'I can see it on your stupid smug face.'

'Fuck off' - Ian couldn't stop his shit-eating grin, and Lip smacked him the the ribs which made him wince in pain from one of his injuries. - 'Ouch, that hurt!' 

'Sorry... Though, you keep secrets from your brother so you actually deserved it.' 

'Nothing happened...' 

'And now lying too?'  
Ian took a deep breath. He would need a phone anyway, so why not tell Lip? He was the first to know Ian was gay and reacted quite well. Um, not counting Karen's tutoring...

'Alright. I tell you if...' 

'If?' 

'If I can have your phone tonight.' 

'... Are you selling it?' 

'No! I need to call someone.' 

'Sameone you're into?' 

'Yeah' 

'A guy, huh?' 

'Well yeah, since I'm, ya know, GAY'

'Cool.'

'So can I have it?' 

'Tell me more first' 

'Promise you'll give me after.' 

'Promise. So? Is he somehow connected to your randomness lately?' 

'Hm yeah. Perhaps he is.' - Ian told Lip everything from the beginning and Lip sometimes chuckled because he almost couldn't believe it. 

'You fucking sex-talked him during work?! Jesus, you know you are not paid for THAT, right?... Or are you?' 

'You're such a dick' - Ian laughed and his ears turned pink. 

'Not me who jerks off at work' 

'I didn't!'- Ian felt pathetic for protesting so much while Lip and him were oversharing most of the time, so he corrected. - 'That's for tonight' - and he did that eyebrow-raise thing Lip found very gay so he laughed. 

'So you need my phone to get some action' 

'Yeah' - the redhead admitted. 

'It's yours' - as his green eyes shifted down, Lip's fingers were already holding the mobile phone out for him so he grabbed it with a boyish grin. It was even older than his destroyed one, but right now he wouldn't dream of anything else. He was going to be able to call Mickey. The thought sent an instant shudder through him and he sat back on the bed to pull up his knees in case his crotch needs to be covered within moments. 

Because, well... Ian was quite horny. He went through a lot lately and it only had been a couple of hours since his mind was put to rest and his body realized just how neglected he had been. Which meant constant inappropriate thoughts were torturing him at the worse times possible, making him hot and aroused. 

The minutes passed slowly, like they were crawling backwards all evening. Lip left the house at 9 and Ian still had a lot of time to kill until 4am.  
First he tried listening to music, but it either made him sad or turned him on, so he stopped doing that. He ate some scrambled eggs while listening to Debbie begging Carl to watch Harry Potter 3 with her. 

'But it's scary! There is an ugly werewolf, you'd like it!'

'I don't watch shit where people fight with sticks. Unless they stab eachother in the eyeball with them'

'I'll watch it with ya'- Ian shrugged. - 'Been a long time since I saw it anyway...' 

So, he spent the next almost 3 hours on the couch with his sister, the two redheads together. At one point Frank stumbled through the room drunkenly, collapsing in front of the tv. Neither of them even stirred.  
Then, at 11 Fiona tried to send them to bed, but ended up sitting down on the single couch, captivated by the hippogriff scene. 

All along Ian kept Lip's phone in his trainers' pocket, sometimes dragging his hand over it just to feel the reality of the situation. He tried to keep his mind on the movie, but of course he felt the little jolts of adrenaline rushes when the thoughts of Mickey striked his brain.  
He shouldn't be so excited. He has never seen the dude. But are looks so damn important?  
Ian liked muscles, but wouldn't run away if Mickey wasn't very fit either. Probably he'd learn it tonight. God, Ian needed a place where he could be alone with the phone. He decided to use the van. 

Then, the movie ended and they needed to go up into their rooms. Carl slipped into bed and was fast asleep, while Ian kept staring at the posters on the walls in the darkness. He felt the need to move, too much nervous energies going through him, so he stood determinedly to do something. Just anything. If he went for a walk or a run, he could be easily attacked in their living area. If he made pancakes, Fiona would smell it and ask stupid questions. If he cleaned their room... Oh, no. He wasn't that desperate... Right? 

So Ian took a deep breath and started doing pushups, because nothing better came to mind. And it was only midnight... 

****

'Don't be a fuckin' pussy, drink one more' - Iggy slapped Mickey's back clumsily, alcohol already doing its magic for his coordination skills.

Mickey sighed with an eyeroll, but his eyes met his father's strict pair so he didn't really have a choice but down the shot of vodka in front of him. It was long past midnight and he wondered when the others would just pass the fuck out.  
Was this the best time to start celebrating a successful weapon deal like they were a big happy family? Fuck, no. 

Mickey was beginning to think that he was cursed by someone. Likely, well... more than one person. Most likely that bitchy old sack from next door who always complained when Mickey took a piss in the back yard. 

'Try this one, tastes like glue but you immediately get shitfaaaaced!' - Iggy kept pushing some foul-smelling liquid into Mick's face while he took a step back, trying to escape. 

'Do you want a taste of something better?' - he heard one of the whores whisper into his ear. Yeah, there are no Milkovich parties without prostitutes.  
The close proximity of the woman immediately made him shift uncomfortably. 

All he wanted to do was to just sneak into his room and pretend to be asleep. But what if these fuckers will be still hitting it outside at 4am? How could he have a relaxed and most likely hot talk with Ian if he needs to watch the door every second?! Ugh, great. Terry was grabbing his shoulder harshly. He really hoped his father would not come up with any more stupid things to do now. He wouldn't want to miss the call for the world. 

'Are you a real Milkovich at all? Fucking drink that up, and dance with the girl' - it was not even a joke. Mickey knew his father's drunken light mood was not to be mistaken for anything less than serious. It was an order, simply. So Mickey downed the disgusting content of the glass, and then let himself be dragged away to the kitchen where the blonde girl leaned into him. He forgot to pretend he was enjoying it though. 

****

3:54  
Ian had Mickey's number already on the screen of Lip's phone.  
He was nervous, excited and scared at the same time. He didn't really know how to do this, but figured it would just play out on its own.  
The redhead grew all too impatient to wait a couple more minutes so he hit the green button a little later, still 4 minutes too early, but fuck it.

The grin on his face was going from ear to ear. He ran his eyes over everything he brought with himself, layed his head back on the pillow of his and closed his excited green eyes as the line beeped in anticipation.  
Then it clicked and Ian's heart skipped a beat.  
But he had to wait a couple of seconds before he actually heard more than rustling from the other side. 

''Eeey!' - the long and weird greeting came suddenly. 

'Uh, Mickey?' - Ian's brows slid together in confusion. It was the familiar voice but an uncharacteristically cheerful tone. Not that he knew Mickey's personality that well... But yeah. He probably did. Instinctively. 

'Yeeah, it's me, Phone-boy. Who did ya expect? The Pope??' 

Ian let out a surprised chuckle when the realization hit him. 

'Are you... drunk?' 

'Ohhhh, how could you tell? I only had a little to drink though, not like I'm sh-shitfaced or somethin'.'

Sure he wasn't shitfaced. Not at all. Ian grinned in disbelief. 

'Alright. So how come you had... a little drink? That nervous, huh?' 

'Fuck off' - he heard Mickey's throaty laugh that sounded so relaxed, Ian never heard him so... free before. It kinda turned him on already. 

'So did you do the shit your dad wanted?' - Ian went on trying to make a conversation though he hardly could keep his hand out of his pants. 

'Do you really wanna talk about my family program right now?' - the redhead heard the smirk in Mickey's drunken voice.

'If you have a better topic feel free to share...' - Ian surprised even himself with how seductive and deep that sounded, and the slight groan from the phone meant that Mickey did like it. 

'Huh, you smug little shit. That voice is going to fuckin' kill me once' - Mickey almost whispered but the delight could still be heard clearly.  
Ian felt a chill running through him at the confession and his arms broke out in goosebumps. 

'Really?' - he sounded much shyer now but couldn't help getting self-conscious. 

'Well, why do you think I'm already having my fist around my dick?'  
That was the moment Ian would have spat out any liquid if he had been drinking. Did Mickey really just say that? 

All he could do was to let out a small chuckle, finally allowing his fingers to run up his thigh towards their already interested destination.

'Cat got your tongue?' - Mickey suddenly gasped into the phone impatiently. 

'Uhhuh, kinda. I think I forgot how to breathe...' 

'Well, fucking breathe. I need to hear ya...' 

'Sure...' - Ian panted as his hand dipped under the waistband of his trousers. - 'So you like my voice, huh?' - He wanted to stay on the topic that made Mickey say the first dirty sentence in his ear. Okay, probably not the first one, but the dirtiest so far. Ian needed to hear more of those. 

'I think I already let you know that' - Mickey still sounded too bold and relaxed, but Ian didn't mind it one bit. Especially when he went on. - 'But just to clear it up for ya... that raspy shit comin' outta your damn mouth got me hard almost everytime I heard it...'  
Holy shit.  
The redhead was only teasing himself with light touches so far but now the time really came to take matters in his hand. And ge made sure Mickey noticed it too, with a deliberately loud moan, deliberately raspy too. 

'Mickey... Uh.. It was sooo difficult not to call you all evening' - Ian decided to get in line with the honesty of Mickey's drunk self. He felt like he was on fire as he let himself get lost in the feeling. - 'Everything made me think of you, so... everything turned me on. Even this old phone I got from my brother...' 

'Desperate much?' - Mickey keened and hissed right afterwards in a way that sent a hot jolt of warmth right into Ian's lower belly.  
Now he was moving his hips too while his hand did it's job.  
Ian wanted to make Mickey feel awesome and needed to hear him too when that happened, so he teased more. 

'You tell me. I, ahh, I've been hard since you called me at work' - Ian exeggarated but it was almost true.  
He heard a little laugh. 

'Did ya get home at all? Or still sittin' at your desk, waiting for it to go away?'- Mickey joked. The bastard still had the brain to crack jokes! 

'Yeah I am lying on top of my desk, beating off to your voice while the nightshift takes their calls around me, no big deal.' - Ian answered with a huge grin. 

'Uh, you fucker almost got me there with the first half of the story' - Mickey groaned. 

'Woah... Did I just uncover a preference of yours? On top of a desk?' 

'Anything works now, Phone-boy. Just give me something to think about...' 

'Say my name then.' 

'Fuck, what?' 

'Say it, Mickey... Uhh' - Ian's eyes rolled back when his grip on himself tightened- 'Say it like I'm there, kneeling in front of you, with my lips around you...'

'Shit, Ian... Damn!'  
Ian bit his lip while smirking upon hearing Mickey whine his name like that. He felt the end approaching very fast so he pulled his sleeping t-shirt up to his neck to avoid getting it dirty. 

'I'm giving you head and believe me, I can take it deep... I'm lying here thinking about it and it's working me up so fucking much, Mickey, fuck, say something!' 

'Unghmm' - he stifled a groan on the other side - 'I need to stay the fuck silent, but you're making it damn hard'

'That's the point, isn't it?' - Ian laughed breathlessly. 

'Will you be a smart-ass when I shove my dick deep in your mouth too, huh?'  
Ian didn't expect Mickey to do so well at the dirty talk business, so it took him by huge surprise just as the force of his release did right then. 

'Jesus, shit, Mickey-aaah!' - he didn't even need to hold back, nobody could hear him, so he didn't actually try to stop the deep groans.  
Ian meanwhile heard Mickey's whimper too and the manliest growl, panting his name again, while he fought to keep as quiet as possible. 

The world stopped after that for God knows how long, and Ian felt like he existed in a simple layer of nothing.  
He kept trying to catch his breath, slowly opening his (so far tightly shut) eyes. He stopped shaking and panting within some seconds, regaining himself. When he acknowledged what just happened, the brightest smile appeared on his flushed, freckled face.

The phone was still hanging between his relaxed fingers, against his ear. He sat up slightly and gripped the device in order to make sure the boy who made him feel great was in the same wonderful state. 

'Mickey? I'm so fucking done you have no idea... Mickey...?'- Ian asked, uncertainly for the second time when there was no answer.  
'You there?' - he tried again weakly when he unexpectedly heard a woman's voice from the distance. 

'Jesus, Mickey! Don't fucking throw up on me, loser!' - Ian listened, and his heart sank when he heard a girl talking. Could Mickey have... Aa girlfriend? Well they never really talked about girlfriends since Mickey was freaking gay. But he told Ian he wasn't out, so that could mean a possible girlfriend. 

Ian's post-sex bliss lasted until this point, now he was beginning to feel terrible.  
And he didn't even count the plus info that Mickey got sick right after their encounter. He cleaned himself with a bitter grimace while keeping the phone at his head, somewhat expecting Mickey back. 

He heard some more talking in the background but wasn't able to make out the words. Well, Mickey was drunk and drunk people sometimes throw up. Doesn't have to mean he regrets it. Right? Mickey could have backed away if he wanted to. But it actually was him who initiated it! - Ian tried to convince himself but still felt odd and somewhat betrayed because of that unknown girl.  
He almost decided to hang up when a louder rustling noise hit his ear, and suddenly a the female voice from earlier started talking to him, a lot more clearly this time. 

'Hey, it's Mandy Milkovich here, my brother can't come back to the phone because he is a drunk bastard, throwing up. Sorry' - then the line went silent for good. 

What?  
Mandy Milkovich...? Is she...? Wait. The name matches, now he heard that the voice matches, and the freaking scenario matches too. Mandy... Brothers... Ian thought about all the conversations they had so far.  
It was her. Surely, 100%! 

What the actual fuck?! - Ian thought to himself while slipping back down on the bed. This can't just happen. Life doesn't go this way... Mandy from work can't be Mickey's sister... No shit! - Ian started laughing because well, nothing in the entire universe could surprise him more. The world... is a fucking small place indeed!

So, Mickey Milkovich it is, then. His friend's brother. Who he just had phone-sex with.  
How he would keep a straight face tomorrow at Haven, he had no fucking clue.


End file.
